


Wither Brambles

by kingkaloka



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Book Series: The New Prophecy, Brambleclaw doesn't become an asshat, F/F, F/M, M/M, Rewrite
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:27:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28199841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kingkaloka/pseuds/kingkaloka
Summary: The shadow of a great storm will crack, break, and blow the limbs of old to make the forest shake to its roots.4 are given the chance to save their homes , 6 make the journey, 5 return, and 4 see the dawn of a new era.The New Prophecy rewrite
Relationships: Brambleclaw/OC
Kudos: 2





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short list of some changes after the prologue! And none of this is beta'd lol

It was weird to be sitting here again, in silence. It wasn't the silence that made it feel like there were ants crawling beneath his pelt. He'd easily passed this vigil a few moons ago but this time it was different. Last time, he'd felt a weight settle around his shoulders, a strange humid feeling in his lungs. This time, this time he felt light and his lungs easily expanded as he took a deep breath. The cooler air stung just a little as he breathed as deeply as he could, held it, then let it out slowly. He turned his eyes up to the half moon slowly making its way across the night sky. Strangely, he didn't mind the slow progress of the night this time around. The first time had felt like the night would never be over and he'd been restless the entire time. Now, he felt calm and content as he traced the stars above with his eyes. He wondered briefly if any of his ancestors were proud of him.

There was a rustle from somewhere behind him and he turned his head. His eyes scanned the camp spread out behind him before he noticed movement from the nursery. A moment later, a large golden molly pushed her way out of the den. She paused to shake out her fur before continuing across camp. He noticed that she had a little more of a limp as she avoided putting too much weight on one front leg. It was an injury from the battle with Bloodclan, which had been made worse by a badger attack. The same one that had taken the life of another molly. His belly lurched at the memory. He missed his lost clanmate.

The golden molly came to his side and sat down so that her side was pressed firmly against his own. He felt a purr rumble through her as she gave his ear a gentle lick.

"I know you've heard this before but I'm so proud of you," she murmured as she rubbed her cheek against his own.

A soft purr of his own worked its way up his throat as he leaned into the touch. His skin tingled with the praise and felt his heart soar. He looked up at the molly and saw love and admiration shining in her yellow eyes. His mother had always made sure he knew she loved him and was proud of him. Even when he doubted himself and his place, even when his sister had decided her place was elsewhere, even when his own leader and mentor had looked at him with suspicion, she had remained steady in her devotion to him.

He blinked gratefully at her and she chuckled with a shake of her head. She turned her attention toward the gorse tunnel leading out of camp.

"You know you don't have to actually take your vigil again. I'm pretty sure Rainwhisker and Sootfur will be okay if you wanted to sleep. That's their first warrior duty after all."

He flattened his ears and let out a soft huff, drawing her eyes back to him.

"I know, I know, you wouldn't feel right if you didn't. I'm just saying, even Firestar said you didn't have to, so no one would be offended if you didn't."

His thoughts wondered back to earlier in the day. He'd been so nervous as he stood outside the leader's den, unable to make his paws move. He hated to admit that he'd been so wrapped in his own thoughts that he'd nearly jumped out of his pelt when a head poked from between the lichen. Kit blue eyes narrowed at him before they ducked back into the den. He could hear as the kit called out, 'See? Told you I heard someone.'

That had forced him to slowly push into the den when he was summoned in. It had taken all his courage to not turn and flee as he laid out why he was there. He was certain his request would have been denied but as he explained his reasons, he saw Firestar look to some corner of the cave with a thoughtful expression.

He was brought out of his memory when his mother touched her nose to his ear. He turned his attention to her again with a questioning look.

"I was just saying, I'm going out for a walk around the camp. A certain someone took a while to finally fall asleep, so I need to stretch my legs. I'll be back shortly. I love you so much and am so proud of you."

His mother gave him one more lick on the ear before she turned and headed out of camp. He watched her tail tip disappear as a sudden creeping feeling of being watched rippled through his pelt. The fur on his shoulders lifted as he quickly scanned the camp. He almost instantly locked eyes with a pair gleaming from the dark of the nursery. His breath caught in his throat and it felt like a lifetime, unable to look away. Finally, he was forced to blink a few times as his eyes started to water and sting. When he focused back on the nursery, the gleaming eyes were gone but his feeling didn't disappear.

He shifted uncomfortably and looked away from the nursery, determined to not look back for the rest of the night. And for the first time the entire night, he wished it over already.

* * *

• Ignoring most family trees  
• Snowkit lives and becomes Snowstep  
• Swiftpaw given name Swiftheart post death  
• Blackstar doesn't actually have all 9 lives and is also a siamese runaway  
• Cloudtail renamed Cloudwhisker for his tracking ability  
• Bramble renamed at Bramble's request  
• Ashfur renamed  
• Shrewpaw will live  
• Ashfoot named deputy instead of Mudclaw  
• Roles unofficially split more like the tribe where some cats take on more hunting roles or more patrolling/fighting roles and also a role to keep the camp tidy/safe and one that listens to and tells history/legends  
• There are official nursery roles for males or females  
• Elders aren't seen as a punishment and warriors also help look after them  
• Apprentices have an official mentor but also have unofficial mentors in other warriors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And just so everyone knows, I probably won't bother reworking any family trees in any great detail. Just think what the readers thought after the first series, before the Erins went and screwed it all up, no one knows who is related to who.


	2. Allegiances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to pull cats that were actually list at some point. I also changed some appearances to make a little more sense but I'm no means educated in genetics beyond basic things. So not strictly realistic but not as loose as the Erins lol

**THUNDERCLAN**

**Leader** :  
Firestar - Ginger tom with a flame-colored pelt and green eyes

 **Deputy** :  
Brackenfur - Stocky golden brown tabby tom

 **Medicine cat(s):**  
Cinderpelt - Dark gray molly with blue eyes  
_Apprentice - Leafpaw_

 **Warriors** :  
Mousefur - Small dusky brown molly  
_Apprentice - Spiderpaw_

Graystripe - Long-haired gray tom with a darker stripe down back and amber eyes

Dustpelt - Dark brown tabby tom  
_Apprentice - Squirrelpaw_

Sandstorm - Pale ginger tabby molly with green eyes  
_Apprentice - Sorrelpaw_

Cloudwhisker - Long-haired white tom with blue eyes

Thornclaw - Slender golden brown tabby tom  
_Apprentice - Shrewpaw_

Brightheart - White molly with ginger patches  
_Apprentice - Witherpaw_

Brambleheart - Dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Ashstorm - Pale gray (with darker flecks) tom, dark blue eyes

Snowstep - Tabby and white molly with blue eyes, deaf*  
_Apprentice - Whitepaw_

Rainwhisker - Dark gray tom with amber eyes

Sootfur - Light gray and white tom with amber eyes

 **Apprentices** :  
Sorrelpaw - Tortoiseshell and white molly with amber eyes

Witherpaw - Small white tom with splotches of black and one green eye and one blue eye*

Squirrelpaw - Dark ginger molly with green eyes

Leafpaw- Light ginger tabby molly with amber eyes and white paws

Spiderpaw - Long-limbed dark grey tom with a paler underbelly and green eyes*

Shrewpaw - Small dark grey-brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Whitepaw - White molly with blue eyes, deaf in one ear

 **Queens** :  
Goldenflower - Pale ginger molly, the oldest nursery queen (Den Mother)

Ferncloud - Pale gray (with darker flecks) molly with green eyes

 **Elders** :  
Frostfur - Beautiful white molly with blue eyes

Dappletail - Tortoiseshell molly the oldest cat in ThunderClan

Speckletail - Pale tabby molly

Longtail - Pale tabby tom with dark black stripes, resting until eyes fully heal from injury

**RIVERCLAN**

**Leader** :  
Leopardstar - Unusually spotted golden tabby molly with amber eyes

 **Deputy** :  
Mistyfoot - Dilute tortoiseshell molly with blue eyes  
_Apprentice - Splashpaw_

 **Medicine cat(s):**  
Mudfur - Long-haired light brown tom  
_Apprentice - Mothwing_

 **Warriors** :  
Blackclaw - Smoky black tom

Skyheart - Pale tabby molly with green eyes

Shadepelt - Dark gray molly

Primrosetail - Dilute tortoiseshell tabby molly with green eyes  
_Apprentice - Volepaw_

Reedwhisker - Black tom with amber eyes*

Swallowtail - Dark tabby molly with green eyes

Stormfur - Dark gray tom with amber eyes

Feathertail - Light gray molly with blue eyes

Hawkfrost - Broad-shouldered dark brown point tom with ice blue eyes  
_Apprentice - Stonepaw_

 **Apprentices** :  
Mothwing - Beautiful golden tabby molly with amber eyes*

Splashpaw - Dark tortoiseshell molly with amber eyes

Volepaw - Small dark tabby tom with yellow eyes

Stonepaw - Gray tom with amber eyes

 **Queens** :  
Mosspelt - Tortoiseshell molly with blue eyes

Pikestream - Dark gray tom with mottled markings and blue eyes (Den father)

Dawnflower - Pale gray molly

 **Elders** :  
Heavystep - Thickset tabby tom*

Loudbelly - Dark brown tom

**WINDCLAN**

**Leader** :  
Tallstar - Elderly black-and-white tom with a very long tail

 **Deputy** :  
Ashfoot - Broad-faced gray molly with sharp amber eyes

 **Medicine cat(s):**  
Barkface - Short-tailed brown tom  
_Apprentice - Duskpaw_

 **Warriors** :  
Mudclaw - Mottled dark brown tom  
_Apprentic - Crowpaw_

Onewhisker - Brown tabby tom  
_Apprentice - Weaselpaw_

Webfoot - Dark gray tabby tom

Tornear - Dark brown tabby tom with shredded ears

Robinwing - Dark brown molly with blue eyes   
_Apprentice - Thistlepaw_

Eagleclaw - Gray molly with amber eyes

Darkfoot - Slender black and white tom

Nightcloud - Sleek black molly with amber eyes

 **Apprentices** :  
Duskpaw - Black tom with yellow eyes

Crowpaw - Dark smoky gray, almost black, tom with blue eyes*

Weaselpaw - Slender ginger tom with white paws and green eyes

Thistlepaw - Small tortoiseshell cat with amber eyes*

 **Queens** :  
Morningflower - Tortoiseshell molly (Den Mother)

Whitetail - Small white molly with yellow eyes

 **Elders** :  
Oatwhisker - Creamy brown tom

Rushtail - Pale brown tabby tom*

**SHADOWCLAN**

**Leader** :  
Blackstar - Large pale cream tom with much darker (nearly black) points

 **Deputy** :  
Russetfur - Dark ginger molly with green eyes

 **Medicine cat(s)** :  
Littlecloud - Small tabby tom

 **Warriors** :  
Oakfur - Small brown tom  
_Apprentice - Smokepaw_

Fernshade - Tortoiseshell molly with green eyes

Swampfoot - White and ginger tom with yellow eyes

Blossomeye - Dark ginger molly with one amber eye 

Nightwing - Black molly with yellow eyes

Ratscar - Dark brown tom with a deep scar around his throat

Snaketail - Dark tabby tom with yellow eyes*  
_Apprentice - Scorchpaw_

Tawnypelt - Tortoiseshell molly with green eyes

Cedarheart - Dark gray tom

Rowanclaw - Pale ginger molly with green eyes*  
_Apprentice - Talonpaw_

Kinkfur - Gray and white molly with unkempt fur

  
**Apprentices** :  
Smokepaw - Dark gray and white tom with amber eyes

Talonpaw - Pale gray tom with yellow eyes

Scorchpaw - Dark gray tom with blue eyes

  
**Queens** :  
Tallpoppy - Long-legged light brown tabby molly (Den Mother)

Snowbird - Small mostly white tortoiseshell molly with green eyes

  
**Elders** :  
Runningnose - Small gray-and-white tom, formerly the medicine cat

Boulder - Skinny gray tom

Tangleburr - Dilute tortoiseshell molly with yellow eyes

_**Cats marked with an (*) are trans or other** _


	3. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not beta'd so any and all mistakes are mine.

The heat was stifling in the crowded den. Or maybe it was just the amount of bodies that made his skin crawl. Either way, it roughly pulled Witherpaw from his fitful sleep. He raised his head to glare at no one in the dark den. He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly as his eyes flickered around to the den's occupants.

Whitepaw and Sorrelpaw were curled around each other in a mostly white ball of fur just behind him. Across from him was Shrewpaw who slept peacefully with Spiderpaw in a nest at Shrewpaw's head. Spiderpaw's brow was furrowed, annoyed even in sleep. Then, behind Shrewpaw, in the same nest no doubt, was his own sister Squirrelpaw. She was on her back, one white paw twitching every so often as she dreamed.

He wasn't sure how he always ended up in the middle but he had a sneaking suspension it was on purpose more often than not. He slowly got to his paws, freezing every time he heard someone shift, and gingerly made his way out of the den. Once he was out he shook his pelt, as a wave of relief crashed over him.

It was still too early for anyone to be up as the stars twinkled above in the night sky. He padded over to a more secluded part of camp but still able to see most of it. He pulled together the moss and feathers he had hidden in this spot for this purpose. The apprentices and many of the warriors just assumed Witherpaw was an early riser. The truth was he often slept in this spot after everyone had fallen asleep. He tried to sleep in the den with the others but he never got decent rest. Even when he was a young kit in the nursery with Squirrelpaw and Leafpaw, he felt crowded. He couldn't explain it, he just always felt like he was being stifled. He'd learned to ignore it for the most part but it was still there.

After circling the make shift nest a couple of times, Witherpaw collapsed into it with a heavy sigh. He shifted so his chin was on his paws as he fought to make sleep return to him. He was sure he didn't fall fully back to sleep but the cool breeze ruffling his fur and the open sky at least let him doze a bit.

Witherpaw grumbled in annoyance as he heard the rustle from somewhere in camp. He cracked open his eyes and lazily looked around for the source of the noise. The entrance to the warriors den rustled and a gray pelt emerged. He watched through lidded eyes as Graystripe stretched. The gray warrior had barely reached out with a back leg before he abruptly stumbled forward a few pawsteps. Behind Graystripe, a white and gray tabby appeared and gave him another shove out of the way. Graystripe gasped dramatically and flopped over onto his side, a paw over his eyes. 

He was saying something, but was too quite for Witherpaw to hear from his spot. Whatever it was, must have been amusing because the other warrior, Snowstep, twitched her ears and whiskers. A moment later, another pelt shouldered out into the open. This time it was Thornclaw, twin to the clan's deputy Brackenfur. He looked between the two other warriors and shook his head. He signed something to Snowstep and the tabby responded by flopping over Graystripe. Witherpaw heard the soft oof as the unexpected weight forced air from the gray warriors lungs.

Thornclaw padded past them both, flicking them both in the face with his tail, and another shake of his head. Both Graystripe and Snowstep untangled themselves and followed the golden warrior out of camp. Witherpaw suspected that they were either a dawn border patrol or hunting. Snowstep and Thornclaw were both more often sent out as hunters but that didn't mean they always were. Brackenfur often mixed it up so the warriors didn't get bored, especially when prey was easy to find. In the leaner moons, the more hunter inclined warriors were sent out exclusively to hunt.

However, Witherpaw didn't want to think too much more on it as his eyes slid shut. It felt like he had just closed his eyes when rustling again pulled him from rest. This time it was Brackenfur who pushed his way from the den. He stretched each leg before he shook his pelt. He trotted over to the entrance and stopped to give himself a quick wash. A few moments later both Rainwhisker and Ashstorm joined the deputy and all three headed out.

He knew he wasn't going to get back to sleep so with an annoyed grunt, he pushed himself to his paws. He went about scattering the remains of the nest before padding over toward the apprentice's den. He sat down outside it and started giving himself a thorough washing. He rasped his tongue along his paw and drew it over his ear a couple times before movement caught his attention.

Leafpaw trotted from the medicine cat den, looking far more awake and ready for the day than Witherpaw felt. She paused to look around camp and she seemed to perk up as she saw him. She made her way to him just as he splayed his paw to clean between his toes.

"Good morning! You're up early as usual," Leafpaw greeted. She sat beside Witherpaw, pressed so close that he could feel the faint rumble of a purr go through her.

"You're up early too. Guess Cinderpelt has you going after herbs today?" Witherpaw asked as he leaned into his sister's warmth.

"Yeah, she wants to get going as soon as the dawn patrol brings back prey. She wants to start storing some of the hardier plants before it starts cooling."

"I think the hunting patrol has already left so it shouldn't be too long. Is she going with you or can you go by yourself yet?"

Leafpaw turned to look at him with wide amber eyes, "Are you kidding? I still have so much to learn, I don't think I'll ever be able to do it myself."

Witherpaw snorted and touched his nose to her ear. He knew better than to argue with her. He watched as everyday she made leaps and bounds in her learning, and if he were honest it made his stomach clench. He had often played with the idea of becoming the medicine cat apprentice himself when he was a kit. However, he'd quickly squashed that idea when he'd watch Leafpaw (then Leafkit) watch Cinderpelt with such awe and admiration. He'd known that no matter how much being a warrior hadn't really appealed to him, there was no way he could take away Leafpaw's destiny. And as everyday slowly dragged by the less and less certain that Witherpaw felt he belonged here. He was only above average in everything and had no drive to become better. 

As the two of them sat in comfortable silence, Witherpaw's mind continued to swirl. He'd never be able to leave Thunderclan. The idea of leaving behind his family sent such a strong sense of grief through him that sometimes he had to physically stop and catch his breath. However, despite knowing he'd never be able to leave he still felt restless. When Brightheart hadn't given him a specific task for the time, he often found himself wandering the territory. He always stopped at the borders but that didn't mean he didn't look across and wonder what was on the other side. Sometimes, warriors of any clan would find him simply sitting and staring at nothing in particular. He knew he unnerved a few of his clanmates, and more in the other clans, but he technically wasn't breaking any rules so they really didn't have any reason to try and stop him.

He was brought out of his thoughts when movement caught his attention once again by the warrior's den. He caught the tail of someone slipping into the den instead of out. He realized that the sun had finally started showing more and more and life began to start around camp. Cinderpelt padded from her den and stretched with a wide yawn just as the two patrols from earlier filed into camp. Witherpaw could hear the faint squeaks of kits just waking up as Brackenfur carried his prey over to his sister. The siblings bumped heads affectionately before the deputy turned back to join the warriors at the prey pile.

"Better go and eat," Witherpaw said as he gave Leafpaw a nudge.

"Oh, right," Leafpaw muttered sleepily. Witherpaw purred at her as she stood and went to join her mentor.

He turned his attention back to the warriors and watched as Graystripe slipped into the den. He flicked his ear as he heard shuffling from behind him, telling him that at least one of the other apprentices was awake. He tilted his head as Graystripe exited the den followed by Cloudwhisker and then a heartbeat later Brambleheart stumbled out. The dark tabby looked a little frazzled and still half asleep as he paused just a few steps beyond the den. Right behind him, a pale molly slipped out of the den. 

She pressed against Brambleheart as she padded past only to stop briefly to touch her nose to his ear, causing the tom to shiver and blink in confusion. He seemed to be jumpy and tense even after the molly stepped away from him. She stopped in the middle of camp and looked around with so much pride her eyes glowed with it. However, there was also a deep sadness just underneath the surface. She took time to look at each cat awake with the fondness a mother would look at her kits with. The molly then looked at the leader's den with a longing that made Witherpaw's own heart ache. As her wise blue eyes finally moved to where Witherpaw was sitting outside the apprentice den, her gaze passed right over him as if he wasn't even there.

A moment later, Sorrelpaw was barrelling across the camp and right through the molly. Witherpaw blinked as the image of the molly shattered into dust that wasn't even really there to behind with. With the molly gone, Witherpaw turned his full attention to Brambelheart and Sorrelpaw playfully scuffling across camp. It was another reason he felt out of place among the clan, he often saw cats that weren't visible to anyone else. There were a few that would appear every so often, but the cats he saw stayed near either the medicine cat den or the leader's den. The cats never acknowledged him or his ability to see him so he figured they didn't know he could see them. Or perhaps, it was that they couldn't see him. Either way, Witherpaw had never mentioned it to anyone, never feeling the need to, and nothing bad ever seemed to come from it.

However, it was obvious that that particular molly had come to see Brambleheart. That was a first and now Witherpaw was curious. What had been so important that the molly had to go to a warrior and not either Cinderpelt or FIrestar? His eyes narrowed as he watched Brambleheart and Sorrelpaw finally separate and the tabby seemed more relaxed than he had been moments ago. Witherpaw felt his pulse jump a little in excitement as he decided to watch Brambleheart closely for the next few days. It was a good way to practice his stalking and it gave his paws something to do and for the first time in a little while, that restless feeling faded. Whatever was going on with the dark tabby warrior, Witherpaw was now determined to find out.


End file.
